Mini Mint Chocolate Icebox Cake

Mini Mint Chocolate Icebox Cake:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 tsp. green food coloring

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. pure mint extract

8 ounces (or so) soft chocolate cookie (I use Pepperidge Farms Chocolate Brownie Soft Dessert Cookies)

1/2 cup or more chocolate shavings *

Place heavy cream, mascarpone, and mint extract in a medium bowl. Beat, starting on low and increasing to medium high. Add food coloring and gradually add sugar and beat until whip cream forms stiff peaks (peaks holds their shape when the beater is pulled straight up out of the bowl).

Line a 6"x 2" round cake pan with plastic wrap, making sure there is enough overhanging the sides to remove cake. If using a springform pan, no need to line with plastic wrap. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream on the bottom. Add 1/3 of the cookies, breaking up pieces to fill up large gaps. Keep the cookies about 1/3 inches away from the sides of the pan if you don't want to see the brown peaking through the cake when unmolded. Add about 1/3 of the remaining whipped cream. Repeat layering cookies and whipped cream two more times, ending with whipped cream on the top layer. There should be some excess whipped cream leftover, which could be eaten by the cook, or it may be reserved to help with any patchwork once the cake is unmolded.

Cover cake pan tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil. Freeze at least 8 hours. Unmold cake from pan by pulling up on the bottom layer of plastic wrap. Top with chocolate shavings before serving. Makes 4 servings.

* To make your own chocolate shavings, run a vegetable peeler along the sides of a candy bar.